Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

A. J. UPHAM.

WIRE STRETGHER. No, 325,460. Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

\A/i fiEgfiefi: V INVEN U NITE STATES AYDREW J. UPHAM, OF SYOAMORE, ASSIGNOR TO \VASHINGTON M. DILLON, OF STERLlNG, ILLINOIS.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,460, dated September 1, 1885 Application filed February 2, 18:15. {No mo'lel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. UPHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sycamore, in the county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in XVire-Stretchers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thein venti on, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

My invention pertains to wire-stretchers; and it consists more essentially in certain novel mechanism by which the draft-lever automatically attaches and releases itself alternately.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation (slightly oblique) of amachine embodying my invention in an operative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the outer end of such ma chine. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view in the line :0 w of Fig. 1.

A is a fixed post, toward which the Wire 13 is to be drawn.

O is a short chain attached to the ring D in the outer end of the bar E, by means of which such bar is detachabl y connected with said post.

F is a lever, provided with a slot, a, through which is horizontally passed the bar E.

G is a guide-plate, provided with the slot 1) and holes 0 0, and is detachabl y keyed through such slot on the inner end of the bar E.

Rods H H are joined together at their inner ends, and furnished at such end with the grip per J, to seize the wire to be drawn. The rods H H are passed, respectively, through the holes a c in the guide-plate G, one on each side of the bar E, and severally attached at their outer ends pivotally to the opposite sides of the lever F on about the center line of the bar E. Notches (Z (Z are formed in the upper surface of the bar E, having vertical walls in the direction of the inner end of such bar and sloping walls in the opposite direction.

K is apawl, pivoted in the upper end of the lever F and above the bar E in such manner that its engaging cnd extends inward from such lever and in position to engage the notches (I, while the outer end of such pawl extends from such lever in an opposite direction.

L is a second pawl, pivoted at its lower end below the bar E in the lever F, and provided with along slot, 0, through which the bar E passes. The upper wall of the slot 0 of the pawl L is fitted to engage the notches d on the upper edge of the bar E.

The lever F is actuated by oscillating the same in the line of the bar E, which causes the pawls K and L to alternately engage the notches d, and when thus engaged to serve, respectively, as fulcru ms for such lever. As the movement of the lever F in such case is toward the outer end of the bar E, the wire Bis gradually drawn thereby. Of course the pawl L will of its own gravity fall into and thus engage each succceding notch d, and the outward oscillations of the lever F (at which time the pawl K is engaged and serving as the temporary fulcrum of such bar) will serve to push the pawl Loutward on the bar E,'and thus disengagethelatter pawl. Both of such pawls are of necessity provided with long free ends to enable the operator by grasping the same to release the machine when the operation of stretching has been completed, or when it is necessary to move the lever to the inner end of the bar E to obtain a new hold of the wire B. The long free end of the pawl K, without other provision, would prevent such pawl from engaging the notches d, and to effect such en gagement I give the pawl L such conformation that when it is acting as fulcrum of the lever F its extended free end shall force the free end of the pawl K upward, and thus force the latter at the proper time into engagement with its proper notch (1. Thus by the automatic engagement of the pawls K and L the oscillations of the lever F cause the latter to traverse the bar Ein the direction of the outer or fixed end of the latter and draw the wire B to any requisite degree of tension.

M is a gripper pivotally attached to the ring D, and provided at its outer end with the Heretofore, in order to hold such wire temporarily, it has been necessary to attach the same to the post A by means of a staple or otherwise.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a wirestretcher, the combination of the bar E, provided with notches d, the lever F, provided with the slot a, through which said bar E is passed, guide-plate G, provided with slot 1) and holes a c, the rods H H, the pawl K, the grippers J and M, and the pawl L, provided with the slot e, through which the bar E is projected, the upper wall of the slot 0 being adapted to engage the notches d alternately with the engaging end of the pawl K, and such pawl L extending above the bar E and adapted to cause the engagement of the pawl K, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of the bar E, provided with notches d and detachably connected at its outer end to the post A, the lever F,provided with the slot a,through which said bar E is passed, guide-plate G, provided with slot 1; and holes 0 c, the rods H H, the pawl K, the gripper J, and the pawl L,provided with the slot e,through which the bar E is projected, the upper wall of the slot ebeing adapted to engage the notches d alternately with the pawl K, and such pawl L extending above the bar E and adapted to cause the engagement of the pawl K, substantially as shown and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination of the bar E, provided with notches d, the guide-plate G, provided with slot 12 and holes a c, and detachably seated on such bar, the rods H H, the lever F, the pawl K, and the pawl L, provided with the slot 6, adapted to receive the bar E and engage the notches d thereon, the free end of the pawl L being extended above the bar E, and in such relation to the pawl K as to cause the engagement of the latter, substantially as shown and for the purpose mentioned.

In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW J. UPHAM.

Witnesses:

IVALTER N. HASKELL, WILLIAM MANAHAN. 

